Lots At Stake On Final Weekend In La Liga

byDavidonMay 11, 2012

While the title race has been decided, there is still the matter of a Champions League spot, two Europa League berths and two relegation places are to be claimed or avoided in what promises to be a nerve-wracking finale to the La Liga season on Sunday.

Champions League BattleAtletico Madrid, who beat Athletic Bilbao 3-0 to win the Europa League final on Wednesday, are eying a bigger prize for next season as they battle Malaga and Levante for Spain’s fourth and final Champions League place.

Fourth position is Malaga’s to lose as they are two points clear of Atlético Madrid. Malaga are at home to Sporting Gijon, who are in 19th place, and who can only avoid the drop by winning.

If Malaga falters,then Atletico can overtake them if they win at relegation-threatened Villarreal. Seventh-placed Levante’s slender options require a victory over Bilbao and other results to go their way.

Relegation Battle
At the foot of the table, 15th-placed Granada, Villarreal, Rayo Vallecano, Real Zaragoza and Sporting, respectively, are separated by five points in the battle to avoid the drop.

15. Granada 42 pts

16. Villarreal 41 pts

17. Rayo Vallecano 40 pts

18. Real Zaragoza 40 pts

19. Sporting Gijón 37 pts

Two of the teams go head-to-head in a true relegation battle when Granada visit Rayo. Granada’s hopes for survival will be hampered by a slew of suspensions as a result of the melee after the final whistle in last week’s loss to Real Madrid.

In the other game,Record Breaking Champions
Champions Real Madrid will parade the trophy at the Bernabeu when they take on sixth-placed Real Mallorca.

A victory would give Jose Mourinho’s men a new La Liga record 100 points, beating by one the mark set by Barcelona in 2010, and would add to their league goal-scoring record which sits at 117 with one left to play.

Good Bye Pep
Former champions Barcelona play the last league game of Pep Guardiola’s tenure at Real Betis where Lionel Messi has the chance to build on his La Liga record of 50 goals league goals in a season.